The present invention relates to a semiconductor radiation detector and radiation detection apparatus.
Conventionally, an X-ray machine or radiological imaging apparatus uses a semiconductor radiation detector for detecting radiation such as X-rays which pass through an examinee and γ-rays emitted from a radioactive material given to an examinee. As such a semiconductor radiation detector, one using a semiconductor radiation detection element made of a single crystal of cadmium telluride (CdTe) is known (e.g., see JP-A-2002-168958 (paragraph 0025 and paragraph 0027)). With this semiconductor radiation detector, an attempt is made to increase detection sensitivity of radiation using a single crystal of cadmium telluride with a small content of impurities. Furthermore, JP-A-2002-168958 (paragraph 0025 and paragraph 0027) also describes a semiconductor radiation detection element composed of a polycrystal of thallous bromide (TlBr).
The present inventors created a semiconductor radiation detection element made of a single crystal of high-purity thallous bromide and verified a detection characteristic of radiation by the semiconductor radiation detector using this semiconductor radiation detection element. Based on this verification, the present inventors discovered that this semiconductor radiation detector has a new problem that energy resolution when receiving radiation is extremely poor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor radiation detector and radiation detection apparatus capable of improving energy resolution.